It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman‘s TV debut! After making his debut in 1938 in Action Comics #1, having a long-running radio serial, and lighting up the silver screen in a slew of serials and feature films, 73 years ago today, the very first Superman television series, Adventures of Superman, debuted in syndication. The series ran for six seasons, starring George Reeves as Superman/Clark Kent, Phyllis Coates (and then Noel Neill) as Lois Lane, and Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen. Adapted from his eponymous comics, Adventures of Superman was a game-changer for the Man of Steel onscreen and launched a decades-long legacy of the character being a staple of pop culture programming.
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Adventures of Superman premiered on September 19th, 1952. The film Superman and the Mole-Men, released a year before the TV show, served as an hour-long pilot for the half-hour series. Though Adventures of Superman kept Kal-El’s origin and his alter ego Clark Kent the same as they were in the comics, the storylines were all original storylines derived by the show’s writers, rather than adaptations of the comics Superman appeared in. The show revolved around a four-person ensemble made up of Reeves’ Superman/Clark Kent, along with his Daily Planet colleagues Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White (John Hamilton). The vast majority of the crimes Superman fought in Adventures of Superman were “street-level” – given the show’s budget, episodic nature, and the limitations of visual effects back in the ’50s, Superman wasn’t facing off against Lex Luthor and stopping dimensional rifts like he did in James Gunn’s film this summer.
Reeves Played a Calm & Collected Hero
While actors like Christopher Reeve and David Corenswet make Clark Kent and Superman feel like two completely different characters on screen, George Reeves played Superman’s civilian identity as a capable reporter. His Clark Kent didn’t bumble and trip over his own shoes; rather, he was a serious, driven journalist who still maintained an approachable affability, much like Tom Welling‘s Clark Kent on Smallville. His Superman was similarly determined and rational, and given that Reeves was in his late 30s when he was cast as the hero, he imbued the Man of Steel with a paternal or teacherly warmth that was embraced by the many, many children who watched the series over its six seasons.
Though Adventures with Superman was a massive success, the series ended in 1958, with Reeves himself directing the final three episodes of the show. Two more seasons were planned, but the tragic deaths of actors Hamilton and Reeves in 1958 and 1959, respectively, meant there would be more adventures for the hero. Even so, Reeves’s depiction of the Man of Steel is one of the most enduring among the actors who have brought Superman to life. For nearly half a century, Adventures of Superman was the longest-running TV show about the Kryptonian hero, and Reeves enchanted a generation of children with his measured but accessible take on the character.
Reeves’ and Adventures of Superman‘s Legacies Live On
Since the Adventures of Superman premiered in 1952, Superman has been a near-permanent fixture on our television screens, whether it be via live-action or animation. His portrayal of Kal-El as a strong and smart hero without sacrificing any kindness, no doubt influenced future actors to take up the mantel. Furthermore, Neill’s portrayal of Lois Lane as an ambitious, if sometimes misguided, career woman was downright revolutionary during the 1950s, where women were encouraged to retreat to the home after keeping the country running during World War II.
The mark Adventures of Superman has left on TV history is indelible. Because of the show, along with the committed artists and artisans that brought the series to life, we’ve been able to enjoy the series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, the Emmy-winning Smallville, and Superman & Lois, to name a few. All of these shows owe Adventures of Superman and its leading actors a debt for proving that the Man of Steel and those who populated his world merit the time, creative reinvention, and later the narrative complexity that episodic television champions.
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